The invention generally relates to food processing equipment and, more particularly, relates to equipment and methods for shelling and deveining shrimp.
The processing of shrimp can be performed either manually or automatically. With manual operations, a worker must perform a number of operations to partially or entirely remove the shell from the meat of the shrimp, and cut the meat of the shrimp in a manner desirable to the end user. For example, the shell can be removed from the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth segments of the shell, leaving the sixth segment and fan tail of the shell attached to the exposed meat for tail-on processing. The exposed meat can then be cut, either deeply along its entire dorsal side for a tail-on butterfly variety, or shallowly along its entire dorsal side for tail-on round processing. Other varieties are possible.
While manual processing is effective, it is relatively time consuming and thus can lead to higher costs. Moreover, such prolonged contact between workers and the shrimp can lead to contamination of the shrimp. Additionally, the resulting processed product can be less than uniform depending upon the individual worker performing the operation, and the diligence with which the worker processes the shrimp.
Various automated processing machines have therefore been introduced and met with substantial commercial success. Examples of such machinery are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,159,871; 4,413,377; 4,414,709; 4,439,893; 4,472,858; 4,473,740; 4,507,825; 4,745,660; 4,769,871; 5,035,670; 5,366,405; 5,435,775; and 5,522,764; all of which are assigned to the present assignee.
While such automated machinery is effective, certain operations would benefit from further improvement to, among other things, reduce costs, improve throughput, and improve maintainability of the machinery.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a shrimp processing machine is provided which comprises a rotating wheel and a plurality of work stations positioned around a periphery of the rotating wheel. The plurality of work stations include a reciprocating meat picker assembly which includes a gear wheel operatively associated with the rotating wheel, a cam wheel attached to the gear wheel, a cam arm pivotally mounted proximate the cam wheel, a spring biasing the cam arm toward the cam wheel, and a plurality of meat picker tines extending from the cam arm.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a shrimp processing machine meat picker assembly is provided which comprises a plate, a first shaft rotatably mounted within the plate, a second shaft rotatably mounted within the plate, a cam wheel mounted to the first shaft, a cam arm mounted to the second shaft, a plurality of meat picker tines extending from the cam arm, and a gear wheel operatively associated with the cam wheel. Rotation of the gear wheel causes rotation of the cam wheel and pivoting of the cam arm and meat picker tines.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a shrimp processing machine is provided which comprises a drive wheel, a deveining brush, and a meat picking assembly. The drive wheel includes a plurality of clamping assemblies mounted on a periphery of the rotating wheel. The deveining brush is positioned proximate the main wheel and includes a circumferential surface. The circumferential surface of the deveining brush includes an apex from which first and second canted sides taper radially inward and laterally outward. The meat picking assembly is positioned proximate the main wheel and includes a cam wheel adapted to rotate while the drive wheel rotates. Rotation of the cam wheel causes the plurality of meat picker tines to reciprocatingly move relatively to the drive wheel.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of processing shrimp is provided which comprises the steps of securing shrimp to a periphery of a rotating drive wheel, cutting a shell of each shrimp, driving a cam wheel using the rotating drive wheel, and reciprocatingly moving meat picker tines using the rotating cam wheel. Reciprocation of the meat picker tines pulls shrimp meat from shells attached to the drive wheel.
These and other aspects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.